What is a bollard light?

Bollard lights are a type of outdoor lighting in a vertical post. Though they may sound primarily functional, they can also add style to your outdoor space. Bollard lights are a popular way to light up pathways or driveways, as they can also double as an effective barrier – they signal the boundary of a path or driveway. Because they are made to be used outside, bollard lights are built to withstand wet weather and outdoor conditions.

The first decision to make when choosing bollard lights is how they are powered. While some bollard lights can be solar or even battery-powered, most bollard lights need to be connected to a power supply – and that can be either wired into your home’s electricity or connected to a low-voltage power supply. Low-voltage bollard lights are easy to connect, but make sure there is an outdoor outlet nearby before purchasing the lights.

When choosing bollard lights, the second consideration is their purpose – is it to guide people down a driveway or path, or is it to cast atmospheric light across your outdoor space? The answer to that question will shape whether the style and placement of the bollard lights should be more structured or decorative.

While there isn’t a hard and fast rule when it comes to the spacing between bollard lights, they should be between 2.5 and 4 metres apart to provide uniform lighting without glare. Place them in a straight line along your path or driveway – or use a zig-zag formation for a less traditional look.

Since bollard lights provide 360-degree lighting, they’re perfect for illuminating pathways and flower beds at the same time. If this sounds like a great solution for your garden, you could place bollard lights on both sides of the pathway to create balance. But be careful not to over-light the space as it will soon feel stark instead of subtle – this is where a more dispersed zig-zag placement could come in handy

For a bollard lighting solution that not only creates ambience but offers a suite of smart capabilities, the Philips Hue Calla bollard light is your answer. Calla bollard lights, with their ability to shine in millions of

different colours, can create different moods for any night. Simply mount each Calla bollard to the provided stakes and place them in the ground to light up your pathways, highlight trees and cast light across your flowerbeds.

With many other bollard lights, installation must be in concrete. This makes them more difficult to place and leaves no room for you to change your mind, but with the Hue Calla you have more flexibility.

When paired with a Hue Bridge, the Calla bollard easily integrates into your Philips Hue smart lighting system. Create an automation that turns on your bollard lighting every evening or turn them on right before you get home. You can even create a Coming home automation, where your Calla bollard lights turn on as you approach – the perfect welcome home.